The Bride (32 page)

"The hell they do," Alec barked. "They mean to look at my wife."

"Yes," Gavin replied with a chuckle. "Her beauty is already becoming legend. There's also the fact that she saved Angus. Anyone with an ache or a pain will be camping on our doorstep."

"How is Angus doing?"

"Docile now."

"What does that mean?"

"He wanted to get back to his duties. Your wife caught him just as he was leaving his cottage. Elizabeth had gone to enlist her aid." Gavin let out a rich laugh before continuing. "I could hear Angus shouting all the way to the castle doors. When I got there—"

"He raised his voice to Jamie?"

"He had good reason," Gavin explained when he saw how angry Alec was getting. "She'd taken his sword away from him."

Alec raised an eyebrow in reaction to that statement. "He did have reason, then," he admitted with a grin. "What happened next?"

"She never raised her voice to him, but she had him back in bed in minutes."

Alec started toward the stables, his hands clasped behind his back. Gavin walked at his side. "I don't trust any of Harold's men, especially his bastard sons," he said, turning the topic back to their coming visitors.

"The twins?"

"Justin will be a problem," Alec stated. "He's used to taking what he wants."

"You think he'd actually go after another man's wife?"

"He would. The man's fathered more bastard children than England's king."

"With his handsome looks, the women do fall at his feet. It's odd that Philip, though identical in appearance, is so opposite in nature. He's too timid to try anything."

"I don't trust Philip, either," Alec muttered.

Gavin smiled. "You speak like a man who cares for his wife, Alec."

"She's my property," Alec countered. "No one's going to insult her but me."

"She isn't having an easy time of it," Gavin remarked. "The task you gave her has helped, of course, but Edith is making it difficult still. She countermands every order Jamie gives. Annie isn't much better. She won't even speak to Jamie."

Alec didn't answer that remark, for he'd just noticed Jamie rushing down the steps. "Where do you think you're going?" he shouted.

"To visit the blacksmith," Jamie called back. She turned the corner and was soon out of sight.

Alec shook his head. "The daft woman's gone in the wrong direction."

Gavin chuckled. "Alec, she begs me to give her more duties. I can't let her do the heavy work, moving the stones, but I want to give her something—"

"What are you talking about?" Alec asked. "Moving what stones?"

Gavin gave his laird a puzzled look. "The kitchens," he reminded him.

When Alec continued to frown, Gavin explained, "You did give her permission to move the kitchens, didn't you?"

Alec shrugged. "I might have," he admitted. "In a weak moment. Still, it couldn't take her more than an hour to rearrange whatever in God's name she wants rearranged."

"Rearrange?" Gavin repeated in astonishment. God help him, he started laughing.

"What the hell's so amusing, Gavin?" Alec demanded. "Did my wife tell you—"

"Nay, she's doing exactly what you gave her permission to do," Gavin said, nearly choking. "You'll see soon enough, Alec. It might be a pleasant surprise," he added hastily when Alec seemed about to lose his patience. "I wouldn't want to spoil it."

Father Murdock came rushing toward his laird, drawing his full attention. The priest's black cassock was flapping in the wind. "Alec? If it's convenient, I'd like to have a word with you."

Both Alec and Gavin immediately tried to get downwind of the priest. The foul odor radiating from the man made their eyes water. Out of respect, Alec didn't mention his fragrant condition. Gavin, however, wasn't as diplomatic. "Good God, Father Murdock, what have you done to yourself? You smell like pig swill."

The priest wasn't insulted. He laughed and nodded his head. "I do smell foul, my boy, but I'm feeling better than I have in years. Jamie gave me a special paste to put on my chest. She mixed me another potion, too. My cough is near to gone now."

He took a step forward. Alec stood his ground, but Gavin took a hasty step back. "Now, then, enough about my health and on to my important question," he said, addressing Alec with his gaze. "Your wife has given me all her shillings," he stated as he opened his hands to show the coins. "She wished to buy indulgences. I didn't have the heart to tell her we don't use coins here."

Alec shook his head. "She worries overmuch about her soul. 'Tis an English inclination if I'm not mistaken."

The priest grinned. "Her soul doesn't concern her at all, Alec."

"Then why?"

"It's your soul that has her worried."

Gavin covered his laughter with a loud cough. "I count seven shillings," he told Alec.

"Eight," Father Murdock corrected. "One, she said, just as a precaution against a faulty memory. I didn't understand what she meant by that remark."

"The woman's daft."

"She's caring," Father Murdock argued. "Now tell me what to do with these coins."

"Put them in the box atop the mantel," Alec suggested with a shrug.

"As you wish," the priest agreed. "Now, while we're on the topic of your dear little wife, I was wondering if you'd give her permission to use one of the empty rooms above the stairs. She asked me to put the question to you, Alec."

"I see no harm in granting this request," Alec answered. "What does she want the room for?"

"Her bedroom."

"Like hell."

"Now, son, no need to get lathered up," Father Murdock soothed. He could see his laird's mood was spoiling as fast as fish left out in the sun too long. He blurted out his next question. "May she go riding on the hillside—staying on Kincaid land, of course? It will give her something to do. I can tell she misses you something fierce when you're away." The last comment softened Alec's expression. "Of course she misses me," he boasted. "All right, Father Murdock. Tell her she may ride if she has an escort."

"You can't be thinking she'd run away, Alec? She misses her home, but I—"

"Father, the woman can't find her way out of a room with only one door. No, I don't think she'll try to go back to England, but she will certainly get lost. She has no sense of direction."

"Yes," the priest agreed with a sparkle in his eyes. "She's as flawed as a clear blue sky."

"You contradict yourself," Gavin interjected. "A blue sky isn't flawed."

"To a blind man it is," Murdock answered, staring intently up at Alec. "If your wife is so inferior, I will be happy to see about gaining an annulment."

"You will not."

Alec hadn't meant to sound so forceful in his denial of the priest's ludicrous suggestion. Father Murdock had deliberately implied that an annulment could be quite easily obtained. Alec knew he'd fallen into the old man's trap, for he'd just admitted how much he cared about Jamie. "I grow weary of women's talk," he muttered. "Gavin? Do you think you can keep my wife from starting another war while I see to other matters?"

"She asked about Helena."

The priest's quiet statement fell between them. Alec slowly turned to face Father Murdock again. "And?" he asked, his voice devoid of all emotion. "Did you know she'd been told that you killed Helena?" Alec shook his head. "When did she hear this foul gossip?" Gavin demanded.

"Before Alec arrived at her home," Father Murdock answered.

"Did she ask you if it was true?" Gavin asked when he realized Alec wasn't going to question the priest.

"No, she didn't ask me if it was true," Father Murdock answered. He gave Gavin a frown of displeasure. "In fact, she told me she never believed that gossip. She doesn't think Helena killed herself, either. She believes it was an accident. She has a tender heart, Gavin, and she has complete faith in her husband."

Alec nodded. "No, she wouldn't believe gossip," he stated. His voice was filled with pride. "Jamie's such a gentle, caring woman."

"Aye, she is," Gavin returned.

"Of course, she can be a might stubborn, too," Father Murdock admitted. "She keeps nagging me to give her some duties. I believe she wants to become part of this family, Alec. She's falling in love with you, son. Treat her heart kindly."

Alec wasn't at all convinced the priest's words about Jamie falling in love with him were true, but he grinned over the possibility.

"Now you'll be sure to praise her efforts with the kitchen, won't you, Alec?" the priest said. "What think you of the new addition? It's coming along quite nicely, now that the men have quit their grumbling."

"What are you talking about?" Alec asked. Murdock gave Gavin a quick look, then turned back to Alec. "The kitchen, Alec. Surely you haven't forgotten you gave Jamie permission to move the building."

"I what?" Alec roared.

The priest took a hasty step back to get away from Alec's wrath. "She said she had your permission to rearrange the kitchen, Alec. The sweet little lass wouldn't lie. Could you have forgotten…"

He quit trying to defend his mistress when Alec started for the doors of his castle. "Gavin, he looked very… surprised."

"Surprised? He was that," Gavin returned. "You better keep close to Jamie until his thunder quiets down. He should just about be noticing the gaping hole in the back—"

Alec's bellow of outrage filled the courtyard. "He's seen it," Father Murdock whispered. "Oh, Lord save us, here comes Jamie."

The priest picked up the hem of his cassock and started running toward his mistress. "Wait, lass," he shouted.

Jamie heard the priest's frantic call. She turned around immediately, a worried expression on her face. "Father, you shouldn't be running until your chest is better," she called out. The priest climbed the steps and grabbed her arm. "Alec just saw the hole in the back wall." She gave him a gentle smile. "He was bound to notice, Father."

It was clear to him that the sweet lass didn't understand her jeopardy. "You'd best come along with me to the chapel until Alec hears all the soldiers' explanations. He'll calm down in an hour or two. Then you can—"

"Have more faith in your laird," Jamie countered. "He'll see the rightness in the change, once it's finished. I'm sure of it, Father. Besides, he won't yell at me. I have his promise. Please don't worry. I'll go inside and explain it all to Alec. I'm certainly not afraid."

"'Tis your lack of fear that has me most afeared," the old man admitted. He knew Alec wouldn't touch her in anger. Still, he could destroy her delicate feelings with his shouts. Father Murdock made a hasty sign of the cross after Jamie patted his hand and walked inside. He was too weak in his knees to go after her.

Jamie braced herself against her husband's irritation and hurried on into the hall. She came to an abrupt stop when she saw what was going on. Alec was sitting at the head of the table. A soldier stood at his side, giving his accounting.

Alec didn't look overly upset. His elbow rested on the tabletop and his forehead rested in his hand. He looked more weary than angry.

All the soldiers who'd worked on dismantling the kitchen building were there, too.

Well, hell, they were standing in line, obviously waiting their turn to tell on her. Jamie gave them a good frown to let them know what she thought of their disloyalty, then walked toward her husband.

When he finally glanced up, Jamie froze. He was furious. The tic was back in his clenched jaw. His eyes were blazing with anger. The wind didn't aid her cause much either. The whistling sound coming through the large hole reminded Alec of what she'd done.

He stared at her for a long silent moment. "I would like to explain," she said.

"Leave this room immediately, wife."

He hadn't raised his voice to her, but his rude command stung just the same.

"Alec, you promised me you wouldn't forget your temper," she reminded him. Heaven help her, she was suddenly quite terrified by the look in his eyes.

He did yell at her then. "Get out before I… now, wife."

Jamie nodded. She rushed over to the mantel, grabbed a coin from the box, and then walked out of the hall with as much dignity as she could muster under such humiliating circumstances.

Edith and Annie were standing near the entrance. They snickered when she passed them.

Jamie didn't start crying until she reached the stables. She ordered Donald to ready Wildfire. The stable master didn't argue with her command, and once he'd helped her mount her horse, he asked if he should prepare Alec's steed.

She shook her head, then started for the gate.

Father Murdock was standing in the courtyard, waiting for her to pass him.

Jamie leaned down and handed him her coin. "He lied to me," she whispered. "This is for an indulgence for his soul."

Murdock grabbed hold of the stirrup. "Where are you going, lass?" he asked, pretending not to notice her tears. "You have me worrying."

"Out."

"Out?"